Cyber simulation
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) conducted a cyber simulation with the group to assess preparedness, coordination, and communication arrangements in the event of a significant cyber incident affecting multiple tax agents.
Participants worked through a scenario covering:
- early detection
- incident response
- containment
- business continuity considerations
- engagement between tax practitioners and relevant authorities.
The exercise provided valuable insight into the potential impacts of a cyber incident on the tax agent community and explored the roles of tax agents, the ATO, the Tax Practitioners Board and other government bodies in responding to a major event affecting the broader tax agent ecosystem.
The discussion reinforced the importance of coordinated cross stakeholder collaboration to support a unified and timely sector wide response.
The simulation also highlighted several opportunities to strengthen existing processes, communication pathways and coordination mechanisms to improve readiness for future cyber disruptions.
Overall, the exercise enhanced participants’ understanding of the impacts of a major cyber incident across the tax profession and the actions required to respond effectively, responsibly and collaboratively.